Review: Night Reigns by Dianne Duvall

Reviewed by Jen

With every single installment I read, I love this series even more. This is Marcus and Ami’s story. And before I get too far, I have to address the big elephant in the room. A lot of readers took issue with the reveal of who/ what Ami really is. It is kind of out there. But I started this series with book 6, so I already knew what she was, long before she told Marcus. The reveal that turned off so many readers, wasn’t a thing for me. So yeah, it is kind of weird (and that says a lot, considering this is a vampire book.) If you can get past that, though, or maybe if you go into it spoiled, I really think you’ll enjoy the book as much as I did.

I’m going to give you a choice and let you decide if you want in on the secret. Ami is an alien. DON’T STOP READING. Really, just wait a second. Please stay with me here. The author does a good job explaining what she is doing on Earth and it makes sense why she was being held and experimented on when Seth found her in the last book. Do I love that she is an alien? No. But I love her with Marcus and that is enough for me.

The story begins about a year and a half after the events of Darkness Dawns. Ami is healing from the torture she endured and Seth thinks he can help her even more by making her a Second for Marcus. The centuries-old Immortal has been taking unnecessary risks since the death of his beloved Bethany and having Ami around could help ground him. Marcus balks at first, but it doesn’t take long before he realizes what a gift he has been given.

Ami is such a great blend of innocence and strength. I love how seriously she takes her role as Marcus’s protector. She is fragile in some ways, vulnerable due to her past and her secrets. But she tears through Marcus’s walls with her tenacity and loyalty. I loved watching these two fall for each other. I loved the mystery unfolding for Marcus, even if the big reveal was odd. I loved the sexual tension and the budding romance. And, of course, I loved the bigger picture.

One of the best things about this series for me is the huge, engaging cast of characters. Dianne Duvall does such a great job incorporating in all of these different people and infusing them with such interesting personalities and backstories. I am all aflutter over Bastien and the lady doctor he is totally supposed to be with. I also want more of David and Seth.

The world building is great too. It’s a little complicated, but it’s laid out in such a way that I’m never confused. Everything makes sense. The pacing is good. The dialogue is good. Heck, Duvall even cut back some on all the healthy-eating references that annoyed me in the first book.

I would definitely recommend this series to PNR fans. And if you can get over Ami’s origins and just roll with it, I think you’ll love it too.